Ironing machine with reciprocating ironing shoe



Sept. 12, 1950 G. D. CONLEE 2,522,432

' momma MACHINE WITH RECIPROCATING momma SHOE Filed March 13, 1948 I 2 Sheet's-Sheqt l Sept. 12-, 1950 v G. D. CONLEE 2,522,432

' IRONING MACHINE WITH RECIPROCATING IRONING SHOE Filed llarph 13, 1948 v 2 Sheets-Sheet '2' I Thislinvention relates means for reciprocating the ironing shoe of the fmachine while avoiding subjecting the bearings for the shoe operating shaft to'o-bjecti'onable wear. More particularly, I provide means whereby'the l shoe may be reciprocated without reciprocating Patented Sept. 12, 1950 Y UM ED' PATENT oFncg 2,522,432 IRONIN MAC I E WITH'RE C IPROCATING IRONING SHOE George D; Conlee,;Chicago,"Ill., 'assignor to Conlon-Moore Corporation,

tion of Delaware tionand then another, such directions being in "general substantially perpendicular to one another. This hasthe effect of smoothing out the smoothness and sheen. Hand ironing thusTproduces a noticeably better finish to the articles to ironing machines, and has to do 'with ironing machines intended more particularly for domestic use. I 7

' In ironing-articles by hand, it is customary to move the iron over the articles in first one direc- Cicero, 111., a corpora- I 2 7 I Application March13,1948, SerialNo.14,658 l 9:01am. (ores-47) 7 a "1 the shoe reciprocating means comprises means than it is possible to accomplish by machine ironing, as usually practiced but is open to the objection that it involvesmore time and labor than ironing by machine.

There is disclosed, in Patent No; 2,217,522,15- sued October 8, 1940, to Frederick K. Mueller an ironing machine in which the shoe is 'reciprocated lengthwise of the cooperating roll, this machine, in operation, closely approximating hand ironing andiinparting to the articles that smoothness and "sheen-characteristic of articles ironed by hand.

Inthe machineof the Mueller patent,'the ironing shoe is carried by-a reciprocatory and rockably mounted shoe operating shaft mounted in appropriate bearings, this shaft, andwith it the shoe supporting arm and the shoe, being reciprocated in the'operation ofthemachine. When the shoe 'isfin cooperating relation to the "roll, it issubejected to'substantial pressure which reacts onthe shoe operating shaft and tends to bend or spring that shaft to a certain extent. That results'in the bearings supporting the reciprocating shaft "being subjected to objectionable pressure which tends to cause excessive wearof such bearings. invention is directed to simple and efiicient the shoe operating shaft and the shoe supporting arm mounted on that shaft. Tothat endQI provide means whereby the shoe is mounted on the shoe supporting arm for movement therebyto lengthwise of the roll, such mounting means including means for reciprocatin'gthe shoe. Further,

whereby the shoe is positively moved in alternately opposite directions, assuring equal movement'of the shoe in each direction, Whichmay notoccur when the shoe is moved in one direction by a compression spring or yielding means, as in the above identified Mueller patent. Further Objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detailed description. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear view, partly broken away, oi? an ironing machine embodying my invention, showing the shoe at the limit of itsmovement in i one direction lengthwise of the roll;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 2--2 "of Figure 1, certain parts being shownin'elevation and broken away;

' Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the roll drive shaft and associated parts, certain parts being shown in e1evation and certain other parts being broken'away; Figure 4 isa fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the gear housing, showing the outer end portion of the shoe operating shaft and-associated parts, certain parts being shown in plan and certain other parts being broken away; Figure 5 is asectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 55 of'Figure 1, certain parts being shown in elevation and certain other parts being shown partly broken away and in section;

Figure 6 is an inner face View, on an enlarged scale, of the disc and associated parts for'operating the shoe reciprocating means, the shoe supporting arm being shown in elevation and broken away'and certain'other parts being'broken away; Figure '7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view' of the upper end of the shoe'supporting arm and the adjacent portion of theshoe and associated parts, certain parts beingv shown in plan; and Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 'Tbut show- .ing" amodified form of the means for reciprocating the shoe.

I have illustrated my invention, by way of example, as embodied in an ironing machine which is, in general, similar to that disclosed in the above identified Mueller patent and to that disclosed in Patent No. 2,054,631, issued September -15, 1936;0'0 Rudolph W. J anda, for ironing machine. v

The machine comprises a suitable stand having a top bed plate 9 supported by depending legs Ill v A maingear housing ll, closed at its'outer above referred. to.

end by a removable cover plate [2, is appropriately mounted upon bed plate 9, at one end thereof, and extends downward therethrough. A sleeve I3 is formed integrally with, and extends upward from, bottom wall [4 of housing H.

A worm gear housing l5, appropriately secured to and depending from housing H, is provided with a collar I6 aligned with 2, depending bearing boss H, the latter receiving the lower end portion of a shaft section l8, which passes upward through collar IS. A worm wheel [9 is secured upon shaft section 18 and meshes with a worm 20 fixed on a shaft 2| rotatably mounted in housing [5, the latter shaft being driven, through a flexible coupling 22', byan electric motor 23 suspended from bed plate 9 by hanger brackets 24.

Shaft section It passes upward through a bushing 25, mounted in sleeve [3 with its lower end contacting the upper end of hub Illa of worm wheel I9; Bushing'zextends'above sleeve;l3, through an eccentric and clutch :assembly designatedgenerallyby the reference: number 26-; The assembly 261s similar to the eccentric and clutch assembly disclosed. in the above identified patent to Rudolph W.- Janda and in Patent No. 1;86-7,839,'.issued July 19, 1932, to Rudolph W. Janda; and need not be illustrated nor described here in detail, a brief descriptionthereof being sufiicient.

Assembly 2fi comprises a member 21, loose on bushing 25, having a depending eccentric 21a seatingat its'lower end'upon the upper end of sleeve l3. Suitable means is provided for clutchingand declutching member2l to and from shaft section" I8. This. clutch means is controlled by a tripfinger 28'pivoted to the front wall 29 of gear housing H and normally held .in operative position; Finger 28 1s connected, by. a rod 30, tot-an arm-'31 secured upon a pin 32 loosely mounted through a lug=33 extending inward from upper portion 29a of front wall 29 of housing H; An angle lever 34 has its lower end secured upon pin 32, extends through a slot 35in wall portion 29a, and is provided at its outer-endwith a head or knob-36: Lever 34' normally isheld in its outer'position by a coil wire spring 31 disposed about pin 32, with one arm engaged beneath arm 3! and its other arm extending across the top of lug 33, in rear of lever 34 and effectiveas' a stop for limiting outward'movement thereof. Spring 3! also serves normally to hold trip'finger. 26in normal'position, effective for declutc-hing member 21- from shaft section IBrand maintaining it declutched.

Whenlever'34 is moved inward a short distance, trip finger ZBismoved into inoperative position, releasing the clutch-means, which is spring actuated, thus clutching member 2'! to shaft section It for rotation therewith. Lever 34 ism'oved inward but momentarily, and is then released, returning trip finger 28 to operative position. Rotation of member 2'! with shaft section'l8'continues during a predetermined portion, about 180, of the ensuing rotation of-shaft section' ill; at which time an element of the clutch contacts'finger ZB'and-member 2'! is declutched from shaft section I8. In this manner member ZI'is'clutohed to shaft section 18, turns therewith to a predetermined extent, and is then autornatically declutched therefrom. The particular clutch means employed is not of the essence ofzmy invention, though I preferably employ the clutch means disclosed in Patent No; 1,867,839,

Sufiice it to state that suitable means is provided for optionally clutching member 21 to shaft section l8 for rotation therewith to a predetermined extent, and declutching member 27 from the shaft section when it has been turned to the desired extent.

Shaft section [8 is disposed below and coaxially with an upper shaft section38rotatably mounted through a relatively thickrib 39 extending from the inner end wall of gear housing H. Shaft section 38 is provided, at its lower end, with a reduced squared stud 38a which fits into a corresponding bore in' the upper end of an elongated hub 39b of a bevel gear 39a. Shaft section I8 is provided, at its upper end, with a reduced squared stud lBa which fits into a corresponding bore in the-lower end of hub 3912. In this manner, the two shaft sections are coupled together for rotation as a unit.

An ironing roll 40, provided with a suitable pad, extends from gear housing H inward over bed plate- 9- therea'bove and parallel therewith. Roll 40' is mountedfor rotation about its axis, and is secured to a shaft 4| extending into gear housing H and appropriately mounted for rotation. Conveniently the roll 40and shaft 4| are mounted and secured together in the manner disclosed in the. two above identified Patents No. 1,867,839-and No. 2,054,631. The particular manner of mounting roll 40 andshaft- 4i, andconnecting themtogether, is not of'the essence of my invention, and need not be set forth in greater detail. Suffice it to state that the roll and the shaft are rotatably mounted andconnected together in an appropriate manner.

Roll shaft 4| is driven, as desired, from shaft section-38 through a change speed gearing assembly indicated generally by the reference number 42. The assembly 42 is similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 2,054,631, and need not be described here in detail. It has associated therewith suitable control means. whereby shaft 4!,

. and consequently roll 40, may be driven at either one of two speeds, or rotation-of the roll may be prevented, as desired. The control means is operated by a control rod 43 .mounted for turning movement through a boss 44 at the. bottom of upper portion 29a of front wall 29 of gear housing ll. Rod 43 also extends through and projects outward beyonda plate 44a, seating uponv the outer face of boss 44, suitably secured thereto and extending downward therefrom to the upper surface of bed plate 9. An operating handle-461s secured upon the outer end of rod 43, the inner end of which is connected, by a universal connection 41, to the forward end. of a turnably mounted control member 48. Means is also provided, com-prising a, two-part control lever. 49 and a cooperating eccentric 5D rotatable with member 21', for. automatically enabling and disabling the drive between assembly and roll shaft 4 I, in accordance with predetermined tuming of the latter. The variable speed driving means and associated control means referredto, are fully disclosed in Patent No. 2,054,631 and need not be described in greater detail-here. If desired, any other suitable means may be provided for driving the roll shaft, such, for example, as the means disclosed in Patent No. 1,867,839 or in Patent No. 2,026,345, issued December 31, 1935, to Rudolph W. Janda, for Ironing Machine. It will be seen, from what has. been said, that the shaft sections [Band 38, together with hub 39b of bevel-gear 39a, constitute a unit or shaft and that this shaft has appropriate driving connectionto" the roll for driving or rotating the latter 'fromthe motor 23. The ironing machine illustrated and so far described is, in general, similar to that-disclosed in Patent No. 2,054,631.

Gear housing II is provided, at its rear inner corner, with an exterior boss 53. An elongated tube or sleeve 55 is mounted at its outer end in boss 53, extends therefrom along bed plate 9 in close proximity thereto and parallel with roll 40, and has its inner end portion secured in a bracket 56'(Figs. 1 and 5) in an appropriate manner, as \by a set screw 51, which bracket is boltedor other wise suitably secured to bed plate 9. A shoe operating shaft 58 extends through bushings 59 mounted in the ends of sleeve 55 (Fig. 5) and is mounted therein for rocking movement about its axis. Shaft 58 extends through the outer end 'of sleeve 55 and boss 53 into gear housing II,

and also projects through the inner end of sleeve 55 a considerable distance beyond bracket 56, as shown in Figures 1 and 5. I

A shoe operating arm M is suitably secured, as by means of screws Manon the inner end of shaft 58, and is straddled by a bifurcated shoe supporting arm 6|, loosely mounted at its lower end on shaft 58 and confined against relative movement lengthwisethereof by arm 60. Means, including an emergency release lever 62, is provided for normally coupling the arms 50 and iii to-- 'gether for movement as a unit. An ironing shoe '83, conveniently heated by electrical resistance elements contained therein, is mounted upon the upper end of arm 6! for movement therewithto 6 known. In Figure 2 the securing stud and nut have been omitted for clearness of illustration. The central clamp member 70 is provided with a pair of spaced rearwardly extending ears II and I2 rigidly secured thereto, conveniently formed integral therewith. The ears H and 12 receive between them a sleeve 13 fixed to the upper end of the shoe supporting arm 61, con- 6| and the associated coupling means and the shoe is similar to that disclosed in Patent No.

1,867,839. It is not essential to my invention, however, that this particular arrangement be used, and any other suitable means may be prov vided for supporting the shoe and operatively connecting it to its associated operating shaft A arm 64 (Figure 2) is secured upon the outer end of shoe operating shaft 58, within gear housing II, and extends downward therefrom; The lower end of arm 64 is connected, by a universal connection 65, to the rearward end of a connecting rod 56 provided at its forward end with an eccentric strap 6'! fitting about eccentric 21a. Turning of eccentric 21a to predetermined extent, into' one position, turns shaft 58 about. its axis inone direction, and turning of the eccentric from that position through 180 into its other position, turns shaft 58 about its axis in the other direction. In this manner eccentric 21a serves to turn shoe operating shaft 58 about its axis in alternately opposite directions and to predetermined extent, effective for moving the shoe 53 to the roll 40 in cooperating relation therewith and moving the shoe away from the rollout of such cooperating relation. The shoe 53 is of known construction and comprises face plate 58 and associated heating elements 69 secured to the plate by means of suitably space-d clamp members, the central one of which is shown at 10, bearing on a clamp plate 10a, the clamp'members 10 being secured in position by screw studs welded to face plate '68'and passing through the clamp members it}, these studs receiving nuts screwed thereon, as' "is veniently formed integral therewith. A shaft 14 extends through the ears'H and 12 and is rockably mounted in sleeve 13, this shaft receiving snap rings 15 engaging in circumferential grooves 16 formed therein and disposed in contact with the ends of sleeve 13. .It will be seen that shaft M is thus mounted for'oscillatory movement in sleeve 13 and is restrained against lengthwise movement relative thereto. One end portion H of shaft M is threaded, being provided with rather large or heavy threads of quite steep pitch, and screws through the ear H. As will be clear from what has been said, the shaft l4 extends parallel with the shoe 63 and with roll 40, so that by oscillating shaft 14 the shoe 53 is positively moved in alternately opposite directions and thereby reciprocated relative to roll M] and'to the shoe supporting arm 6|, lengthwise of the roll.

A crank arm 18 is fixed, in a suitable manner, on the other end of shaft "M and extends rearward therefrom. Arm '58 receives, at its rearward end, an angularly bent finger 19 at the upper end of a connecting rod '88 pivoted at its lower end to a disc 8| fixed on the inner end of a shaft 82, rotatably mounted in the tubular shoe operating shaft 58 and projecting beyond the inner end thereof adjacent the'shoe supporting arm 6|. The pivotal connection 83 of the lower end of rod to disc 8| is remote from the axis of the discyas will be clear from Figure 6, so that when the shaft 82 is rotated the shaft 74 is turned through a'substantial arc.

A bevel gear 85 is secured on the outer end of shaft 82, within the gear housing H, and meshes with a bevel pinion 85 fixed on the rearward end of a stub shaft 81 rotatably mounted, in suitable bushings 88, in a boss 89 integral with the upper wall of the lower portion of gear housing I I. A bevel pinion 90 is secured on the forward end of stub shaft 87 and meshes with the bevel gear 39a. It will be seen that when the machine is in operation, the shaft 82 is 'rotated and the shoe 63 is reciprocated relative to shoe supporting arm, GI and to roll 40, lengthwise of the latter, as indicated by'the double headed arrow in Figure 1. The threaded connection between the oscillatory shaft 14 and the shoe assures that the shoe 63 will be moved positively and to equal extent in alternately 0pposite directions, thereby assuring that articles finish and sheen to such articles, as above explained. Since the shoe is reciprocated relative to the shoe supporting arm 6| the latter and the rockably mounted shoe operating shaft-53 are not reciprocated. That is advantageous in that it avoids subjecting the bearings for shaft 58 to objectionable wearsuch as'ma occur when that shaft is reciprocated lengthwise for reciprocating the shoe supporting arm and the shoe carried thereby, as has been previously explained. Also,

- the power required to reci rocate the shoe alone 7 isxsubstantially less than that which would be requiredto reciprocate the shoe supporting shaft and the parts carried thereby, which is conducive to reciprocation of the shoe with a minimum expenditure of power while relieving the driving mechanism of the machine and associated parts of objectionable stresses.

In the modification shown in Figure 8, shaft 1 5a is rockably mounted through ears Ha and l2a of clamp member lllb, and is restrained against lengthwise movement relative to ears I la and 12a by associated washers 92 and snap rings 93 engaging in circumferential grooves 94 in shaft 74a. The intermediate portion lid of shaft 14a is provided with a heavy thread of steep pitchand screws through the sleeve 73a at the upper end of the shoe supporting arm 5|. Shaft Hahas crank arm '58 secured to one end thereof and connected-to the disc BI eccentrically of the latter, as before. It will be seen that, when the machine is in operation, the shaft Ma is oscil lated and is effective for reciprocating the shoe 63 in the manner previously described. In both forms of my invention illustrated, the roll is driven by the motor 23, which conveniently also operates the means for moving the shoe to and from the roll and the means for reciprocating the shoe. In the broader aspects of my invention, however, it is not essential that the shoe be reciprocated by power derived from the motor 23, and any suitable means may be provided for reciprocating the shoe.

The rockably mountedtubular shoe operating shaft 58 isrestrained against lengthwise movement shaft 58, between bracket 56 and arm El. The shaft 82 is restrained against lengthwise move ment by the bevel gear 85, in conjunction with arm 64, and a collar 82a disposed about shaft 82 between disc SI and the inner end of the tubular shoe operating shaft 53.

As above indicated, and as will be understood by those skilled in the art, changes in construction and arrangement of parts of my invention may be restored to without departing from the field and scope thereof, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which thepreferred forms only of my invention have been disclosed.

I claim:

1. In an ironing machine comprising a rotatably mounted roll, means for driving said roll, a rockably-mounted shoe operating shaft, and a shoe supporting arm mounted at its lower end on said shaft for movement thereby toward and away from said roll; a shoe mounted on said arm for movement thereby to and from said roll and for relative reciprocating movement lengthwise of the latter, an oscillatory shaft mounted on said arm restrained against relative endwise movement and having threaded connection to said shoe, and operating connections between said roll driving means and said oscillatory shaft for oscillating the latter.

2. In an ironing machine comprising a rotatably mountedroll, means for driving said roll, a rockably mounted shoe operating shaft, and a shoe supporting arm mounted at its lower end on said shaft for movement thereby toward and away'from said roll; a shoe mounted on said arm for movement thereby to and from said roll and for relative reciprocating movement lengthwise of the latter, an oscillatory shaft mounted on said arm restrained against relative endwise by arm (it and a collar 58a mounted on movement" and having threadedi connection. to said shoe, a rotatably mounted shaft adjacentand substantially paralleling said shoe operating shaft, driving connections between sa-idrrotatably mounted shaft and said roll drivingrmeansand operating connections between said rotatably mounted shaft and said oscillatory shaft effective for oscillating the latter.

3. In an ironing-machinecomprising a-rotatably mounted roll, means for driving said roll, a rockably mounted shoe operating shaft, anda shoe supporting arm mounted at its lowerend on said shaft for movement thereby toward and away from said roll; a shoe mounted on said arm for movement thereby to and from saidroll and for relative reciprocating movement lengthwise of the latter, a rotatably mounted shaft-telescoping said shoe operating shaft; means for driving said rotatably mounted shaft, and operating connections between said rotatably mountedshaft and said shoe for reciprocating the latter;

4; In an ironing machine comprisinga rotat ably mounted roll, means for driving said'roll, a rockably mounted tubular shoe operating shaft, and a shoe supporting arm mounted at its-lower end on said shaft for movement thereby toward and away from said roll; a shoe mounted on said arm for movement therebyv to and from said roll and for relative reciprocating'movementlengthwise of the latter, a secondshoe operating shaft mounted in said first shoe operating shaft for-relative turning movement and-extendingtherebeyond adjacent said arm, means-for driving said second shaft, and operatingconnections between said second shaft and said shoe effective'for reciprocating the latter.

5. In an ironing machine comprising a-rotatably mounted roll, means fordriving said roll, a rockably mounted shoe operating shaft, anda shoe supporting rarm mounted onsaid shaft for movement thereby toward and away fromsaid roll; a shoe cooperating with said roll, means mounting said shoe On said-arm for movement thereby to and from said roll andfor relative reciprocation lengthwise of the latter, said mounting means comprising an oscillatory shaft restrained against lengthwise movement relative to said arm and having threaded connection to said shoe, and means for oscillating said shaft.

6. In an ironing machine comprising a rotatably mounted roll, means for driving said roll, a rockably mounted tubular shoe operating shaft, and a shoe supporting arm mounted at its lower end on said shaft for movement thereby toward and away from said roll; a shoe cooperating with said roll, means mounting said shoe on said arm for movement thereby to and from said rolland for relative reciprocation lengthwise of the 1atter, said mounting means comprising an oscillatory shaft restrained against lengthwise movement relative to said arm and having threaded connection to said shoe, asecond shoe operating shaft mounted in said first shoe operating shaft for relative turning movement and extending therebeyond adjacent said arm, and operating connections between said=second shaft and said oscillatory shaft.

7. In an, ironing machine comprising a rotat ably mounted roll, means for driving said roll. a rockably mounted tubular shoe operating shaft, and a shoe supporting arm mounted at its lower end on said shaft for movement thereby toward and away from said roll; a-shoe cooperating with said roll, said shoe having fixed thereto a pair of spaced rearwardly extending ears, an oscillatory shaft mounted on the upper end of said arm restrained against relative lengthwise movement and having threaded connection to one of said ears, a second shoe operating shaft mounted in said first shoe operating shaft for relative turning movement and extending therebeyond adjacent said arm, and operating connections between said second shaft and said oscillatory shaft.

8. In an ironing machine comprising a rotatably mounted roll, means for driving said roll, a rockrably mounted shoe operating shaft, and a shoe supporting arm mounted at its lower end on said shaft for movement thereby toward and away from said roll; a shoe cooperatin with said roll, said shoe having fixed thereto a pair of spaced rearwardly extending ears, a sleevefixed to the upper end of said arm extending between and spaced from said ears, an oscillatory shaft mounted in said sleeve restrained against relative lengthwise movement and extending through said ears with threaded connection to one thereof, and means for oscillating said oscillatory shaft.

9. In an ironing machine comprising a rotatably mounted roll, means for driving said roll,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 291,035 Davey et a1 Jan. 1, 1884 1,904,858 Davis Apr. 18, 1933 1,974,584 Pickens Sept. 25, 1934 2,115,941 Gastricone May 3, 1938 2,217,522 Mueller Oct. 8, 1940 2,313,123 Oastricone May 9, 1943 

